


fib

by orphan_account



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Bittersweet, Drug Use, Emotional Manipulation, Flirty Na Jaemin, I just wrote a nomin fic but I promise this is the last one, Jaemin is a bit strange, Jeno is just a sweetheart I love him, Lee Jeno is Whipped, Lee Jeno-centric, M/M, Slow Burn, Sweet Lee Jeno, Teenagers, They live by the ocean, Unhealthy Relationships, mentioned noren, slice of life kinda, still kind of fluffy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:00:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26490790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: “you’re my flower boy”- in which a flower blooms at every location he tells a lielee jeno, who was recently forced to move to an ominous and quiet city on the east coast, is quite distressed when he crosses paths with a peculiar boy, na jaemin— who offers him numerous bouquets of beautifully assembled flowers while their relationship spirals into something more. a web of emotional turmoil and unexpected manipulation ensues.
Relationships: Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin
Comments: 8
Kudos: 19





	1. introduction

**Author's Note:**

> this is a wip I have?? let me know if you want to see more of it, I suppose

"That cloud kind of looks like you." Jaemin chirps, a wide grin spreading his lips while an extended arm points towards the sky.

Jeno's gaze shifts upwards, and that's when he spots the puffy shape resting above the pair. He looks back down with a questionable expression, only to catch sight of the head in his lap erupting into a fit of laughter. Jaemin must be amused. With a sly smirk, Jeno places the palm of his hand over Jaemin's face to shut him up for the first time that evening.

It serves as a remedy, but only for a second.

Jeno soon pulls away, revolted when a smooth tongue glides over his fingers. His top lip curls in utter disgust, and of course, the action only makes Jaemin's laughing even louder.

"That's disgusting!" Jeno fakes a gag, but he doesn't want to complain too much, the sound of Jaemin's giggles is music to his ears. The situation in itself is kind of funny, because he'll endure anything for this boy— even if it means getting grossed out by his playfully intrusive antics.

"But you love me anyways." Jaemin sighs heavily, dragging his words out and then stringing them into something like a choppy collage of a song. The notes don't match at all, and Jaemin sounds more like someone who's tone-deaf than a professional, but again, Jeno finds it cute.

He looks forward, face growing red with embarrassment. Yes, Jeno had said it to himself, and the other boy, many times. But it's still weird to be reminded out loud that he is indeed, in love with Na Jaemin. Jeno has never been the type to freely express what he feels, so hearing the claim come from Jaemin's mouth is a bit startling. Alas, the silk breeze that blows through his mop of hair acts as a sedative for his beating heart.

He drops the same, damp hand, to Jaemin's hairline and begins to stroke. It's therapeutic for both of them.

"But do you love me back?" He speaks quietly, as if his voice is fragile. The reality is quite the contrary— in fact, Jeno has a stern voice a majority of the time— it's only his head that's breakable as of now. He doesn't know what he'll do if his feelings aren't reciprocated one day. Cry maybe? Throw a fit? No. He'd stay by Jaemin's side at his own expense.

The crinkles in the corners of Jaemin's eyes smoothen, and the atmosphere stiffens. "Do I love you?" He asks rhetorically, almost sounding confused. And Jeno swears for a moment that he's going to have a heart attack. Though, that's not a new feeling, Jaemin is awfully good at leaving him panicked.

"I guess I need to be trying harder if you don't already know the answer to that question, hm?" Jaemin reaches for Jeno's chin and tickles it a little, cooing while he does. "Of course I love you. I love you more than I do anything else," His voice is soft, and the specks of glitter in his eyes resemble a starry night, "My dear, you're the prettiest bouquet I've ever seen, and every aspect of you is an everblooming flower—"

"Okay, stop with the Shakespeare shit. I get it, I get it." Jeno interrupts with a laugh, purposely cutting off Jaemin's cheesy spiel before his teeth start to ache. One thing is for sure, Jaemin takes sweet talk to a new degree. Maybe that's why Jeno believes him.

His entire way of speaking is rather intriguing, to be honest. Sometimes (though it may be mockery), Jaemin speaks like a poem, his words heavy with the weight of his emotions, and it takes effort to decipher his verses. Other times, he'll speak like every other teenager you'd find. He uses modern slang on a somewhat normal basis, and switches formalities often. Either way, Jeno thinks his vocal shifts and patterns are beautiful— just like the rest of him.

"Do you want to go eat now?" Jaemin suddenly inquires, quite hungry, and hopeful that Jeno will take him out to dinner— which he knows he will. He has Jeno wrapped around his pretty fingers.

Jeno nods, running a continuous, swirly design through Jaemin's hair. He tries with all of his effort to not let it pull him into a trance. "Yeah, I'll go get the car. Stay right here."

And with that, he gets up to part ways before he eventually disappears from Jaemin's line of vision. Jaemin watches his frame shrink slowly, and then peels his eyes away, to the ground—

—where a single daisy has freshly sprouted. 

na jaemin has an entire garden under his feet, and lee jeno tries to ignore the thorns.


	2. NEW ADVENTURES

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> welcome to fleur, jeno

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here’s the first chapter!! i posted the intro quite a while ago and figured i try writing this story after all :)

'WELCOME TO SUNNY-SIDE FLEUR, A LIFE IN PARADISE.'

  
Jeno sighs, shooting a glare at the annoyingly bright-colored sign. For somewhere so irrelevant, the city counsel surely had thought enough to invest in the most ambitious billboard they could find to greet new villagers. It's quite the comedic tagline actually, because paradise is probably as far away as you can get from here. Being raised on a farm in the middle of the country, a spontaneous move to the east coast isn't exactly what most people would wish for— especially Lee Jeno.

He was perfectly content tending to the pigs and the chickens back home, but now the only evidence of his 'old life' resides in his head and between his feet on the floorboard below. The small pup resting beside his shoes had somehow managed to sleep for a majority of the road trip, and even now, looks as unbothered as one could be.

The blonde on the seat wishes he had the ability to just not care, like his dog does. But he can't, because there's too much to worry about. Having only a few months of high school left, Jeno couldn't see why his parents refused to hold off until he left for college to kick rocks halfway across the country. Much to his dismay, they didn't even so much as take Jeno's feelings into consideration— at all— but what else is new?

Not only is the idea of living in this new town less than favorable, but the scenery itself is straight up disappointing. Other cities placed nearby have luxurious houses and beautiful landscaping, but Jeno doesn't see any of that as his dad drives through the streets of Fleur. It's all so... depressing. Representative of a bunch of seniors on retirement plans.

Of course, there are people out there who happen to be quite fond of white picket fences and trendy red sports cars, but Jeno sees those kinds of things as shallow. He wants more than that from his life, and he's not going to find it here. Jeno is different. He craves _substance_ — not the same dream that everyone else shares.

Unfortunately, his parents had fallen victim to the herd mentality of accommodating to a plain, suburban lifestyle, and all it took was a heftier paycheck than what they'd received for the past fifteen years. They traded their own unique sense of normality for something so bland. Just the thought of it— of abandoning the lifestyle you spent years to build up— makes Jeno sick. He'd never do that, or so he claims.

Of course, Jeno doesn't like being a downer; thus, he had spent the entire last week searching online for local areas of entertainment before their arrival. Anything he can do to occupy his time would be good enough for him. However, he was left unsatisfied when finding that the only thing Fleur is known for is the wide and beautiful array of flowers during springtime. Which isn't all too bad, because it reminds him of his garden back on the farm.

Jeno also finds admiration in the evening sky. It's big and breathtaking— and you can see it no matter where you are in the world. In a strange way, it's like a piece of home that follows him everywhere. The astonishing palette of oranges and reds and all other flame-like colors explode above heads from all parts of the globe, and it seems to soothe the lonely boy in the back of the car. Sometimes, he takes pictures of the sunset— other times, he paints them.

He enjoys painting. While he may not be the absolute best at it, it's something that makes him feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Probably because it's a hobby he picked up from a friend in his old town. His friend had coal-colored hair, a soft voice that glided over Jeno's ears like honey, and a knack for creating the most brilliant pieces Jeno had ever seen for an artist of their age. It inspired the latter.

That was his only friend back home. His only friend in _general_. Hopefully, they'd be able to keep in touch via text, but the change in timezones would take a while to get used to. Even though Jeno hadn't moved overseas or anything, he still got a small taste of jet lag in its purest form.

Aside from using watercolors and paints, sometimes Jeno wanted to sketch with pencil instead— without color. The contrast between the black and white spaces on his paper make things seem so simple. The rigid lines cut through any disfigured perception the boy on the verge of adulthood may be experiencing, in the same way that they pour his focus into one activity— and it calms his nerves. To make something rough in idea yet smooth in its physical form, Jeno could waste hours, fascinated with the flick of his wrist and what it constitutes.

The world moves fast. Within the time it takes to execute a single blink, entire galaxies could be formed, stars could be born, and life could redirect its path while offsetting everything else behind it— derailing into chaos or a beautiful trauma. So when Jeno opens his eyes, he thinks. Thinks about how he's unknowing as to what the other billions of people on this earth are experiencing. He looks to the floor as his lashes cascade over guilty eyes.

More than likely, there are thousands (maybe even millions) of people who'd love to have the opportunities Jeno does. There are women and children shivering on the streets who'd be euphoric to gain shelter anywhere, even if it was quite the distance from their hometowns. There are those who'd probably think Jeno is a spoiled brat for being upset about his parents' venture. And maybe they're justified, at least a little.

_"It could always be worse, you know."_

Jeno heard those words often, as his parents loved to tell him that they'd been very lucky to even have the chance to move across the country like this. 'There are many families who can't afford to,' they'd say, and being the teenager he is, Jeno would roll his eyes and not spare a second thought. He'd then complain to his _one friend_ about how his mom and dad don’t understand him, but he'd receive a click of the tongue in exchange.

_  
“They're not exactly wrong. Maybe you're the one who needs to try and understand."_ Renjun would say, which dumbfounded Jeno and ultimately led to the end of their conversation. Renjun was (probably) always right, so Jeno would step back and take time to contemplate. It kept him humbled. _He_ kept him humbled.

Maybe that's the reason the heart in Jeno's chest began to tremble every time he came in contact with the older boy. His mouth was filled with blossoms every time he attempted to speak, and he got a bit too attached. In Jeno's eyes, Huang Renjun went from a role model to a breath of fresh air. Someone he wanted to hold close and cherish like a sort of flower, and something so fragile that Jeno was afraid to remain close. He started skipping their hangouts to make art alone while ignoring the confusing thoughts, but they never truly went away.

It hurt worse when Renjun started growing closer to other boys. He and Jeno weren't exactly on good terms, but Jeno hadn’t expected himself to be replaced so easily. He should have given up there— as anyone with sense would— but watching milk come out of Renjun's cute nose as a result of someone else's jokes fired him up. It made him jealous.

The whole ordeal came to a climax the week before the Lee family would be moving. Jeno's things were mostly packed already, so it was either speak now or he'd forever have to hold his peace. But he couldn't possibly go on wondering 'what if,' and that served as his main source of motivation.

Just as instructed, Renjun met him on the roof of the school building, below that beautiful sunset Jeno loves so much. His black hair was slightly damp from the bright sun above, but Jeno still thought he looked gorgeous— propped up on the ledge of the wall with his feet just barely touching the ground while they dangle. Jeno fought the urge to run to him.

_"Jeno, it's been a while."_ Renjun had chuckled. Music to Jeno’s ears.

Wasting no time, Jeno thought it'd be best to just come out and say it, so he did. He lunged forward, clutching onto the fabric of his shirt with anxiety. And like a preschooler, Jeno couldn't contain himself anymore, so he cried—

_"I really like you, Injunnie."_

_"Oh."_

That's the moment Jeno knew that staying here wouldn't mean much to him anymore. With only five words, he managed to ruin the only thing that held significance to him. Other than worn threads of nostalgia, there are no strings to tie him down to this place.

_"I'm sorry..."_

In fact, after his confession, maybe he'd be better off leaving. Facing Renjun would only cause immense amounts of embarrassment and make Jeno regret what he did. Maybe he should've spared the awkwardness and have not said anything at all.

That evening, Renjun said they'd remain friends, but with the odds stacked against them, Jeno knew it was too good to be true. Since then, they've only contacted each other a few times for meaningless conversation, and things don’t look good. Renjun took it upon himself to see Jeno away, but he was too late— and Jeno was already a state away by the time the older showed up on his front lawn.

  
  


And so, that brings Jeno to where he is now.

_Fleur_. A town of loneliness, void, and refusal to flip over a new leaf. Whether good or bad, there are no memories here. Jeno doesn't have the _connection_ he's used to, and it drives him mad. He'll move away for college eventually, but what does he do until then? Stand on the shore and skip rocks? He might as well shoot the pebble down on his own foot at that point. Because at least then, things will get interesting.

Pulling into the driveway of their new home, Mr. and Mrs. Lee prepare themselves to face the landlord. The woman fixes her hair promptly in one of the mirrors, applying a thin layer of lipstick and then motioning for her son to get out of the car as well.

Jeno retrieves the leash from the seat beside him and secures it around his dog's collar, the metal end clacking one time when it's secure. The dog, also named Loki, jolts up and begins wagging his tail at the discovery that he'll finally be able to walk around after several long hours. He bumps his nose into Jeno's leg excitedly.

If there's one thing that will never leave Jeno, it's his dog.

The boy jumps down and out of the car, stopping to let his pet do the same. When both have all of their feet on the ground, Jeno slams the car door (a bit harder than anticipated) and pads over to his parents to stand slightly behind them. They're already mid-discussion with the landlord— who has a shriveled face and too much perfume on, Jeno notices.

"It's a lot bigger in person than it looks on the website." Mr. Lee releases a hearty chuckle, and the old woman in front of him smiles warmly, hands clasped in front of her.

"Yes, the pictures don't quite do it justice, I suppose."

Jeno tunes out of their conversation when he feels a tug on the leash in his hand. Much to his displeasure, Loki is already dragging his snout through the grass and looking for a spot to pee. Jeno pulls in the corners of his lips awkwardly, snooping past the woman and allowing Loki to do his business. After all, it's already their house, right? For rental, at least. Jeno isn't quite sure why his parents refused to buy a home unless they plan on moving again in the future.

Unfortunately, the hound finds the lily garden fascinating and insists on using that as his personal toilet. The blonde scrunches his nose and turns away while Loki squats right in between a small collection of pink and white flowers.

Jeno's mom catches sight of this and shakes her head disapprovingly. She didn't understand why it couldn't wait until the family was alone, but she doesn’t interfere.

Minutes later, the woman, Mrs. Kim— Jeno thinks— leaves, and his parents make short work of moving their things from the car. Jeno, on the other hand, ties Loki up to a tree and waddles around the yard aimlessly, taking in his surroundings.

It’s hot, but Jeno guesses that’s what you get with living so close to the ocean. The smell in the air reminds him of the farm, and for a second, everything isn’t so bad. Not miserable at least.

But then he remembers, and the hole in his heart continues to eat at his chest. Hopefully, it’ll eat the rest of him soon and he’ll disappear—

“Sweetheart, please help us unload!” A familiar voice calls out to him, and Jeno turns on his heels to see his mother waving in his direction, halfway through the frame of the front door with a box in her grasp.

With a small grumble, Jeno decides that he’s _not_ a fan of new adventures.


	3. RUFF ENCOUNTERS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> jeno can’t catch a break, can he?

"Who's a good boy?" Jeno buries his face into the soft fur of his pup, smearing his nose across the thin bristles. It tickles a bit, but Jeno insists on smothering his pillow-like pet until he's nearing the point of suffocation.

Loki sits there unresponsive because well— he's a dog. The only things he knows how to respond to are 'treat' and 'potty,' and Jeno hadn't mentioned either of those things. Soon, after a moment or two, Loki stands up and walks out of the room completely, leaving his owner behind to lean back against his bed, glancing at the door a few feet in front of him while he sits in silence.

He's adjusting to his new life— well _ish_.

It's been a week now since the Lee family first arrived in their car, and Jeno has started preparing to attend his final year of high school. With that, he makes runs from store to store in search of supplies such as pencils and notebooks on a daily basis. He doesn't have his license yet, so he moves purely by foot— the soles of his shoes scraping against hot concrete with each step.

Standing on the sidewalk of the city's streets gives a new perspective of what this place has to offer, and while it's not much more than senior discounts and small diners, the scenery has a charm that Jeno can't quite explain. It's simple, but also refreshing in a strange sort of way.

However, the plethora of unfamiliar faces out in public are somewhat frightening. Jeno doesn't know who anyone is, and they all stare at him like he's some breed of alien. They don't like him. They want him gone and he can tell. Maybe it's his rebellious teenage aura or his stone cold expressions, but the older citizens of the town consistently give him dirty looks. It doesn't matter how often he holds doors for them or helps a fragile woman carry groceries to her car.

He's an outcast.

There's always the chance that school will be better, but he feels that it's more likely for his peers to be just as judgmental as their parents— if not more. Jeno didn't even fit in at the school of his hometown, nonetheless some random group of kids from the other side of the country. He's just lost. Lost in both a physical and mental sense.

As Jeno's thoughts and disappointment reach their peak, the head of his mother pokes in between the frame of his bedroom door. She makes eye contact with him, slightly revealing a bowl of cookie dough and a spoon in her arms to imply that she's busy at the moment, so Jeno expects her to appoint him to do something.

"Honey, will you take Loki for a walk?" She asks, making a continuous circular motion with the handle of the utensil against the metal sides of the bowl. "I would do it, but I'm baking and you've been in the house all day. Get up and go get some fresh air before night comes." She orders at once.

As much as Jeno would rather ask to eat the remnants of the raw chocolate chip-filled mix she's creating, he doesn't argue. He offers the woman a nod, saying that he'll get it taken care of, and then she exits while Jeno changes clothes.

The air is humid here.

Jeno isn't a fan of it, but it's not like he can tell Mother Nature how to do her job, right? The only thing he can do is persevere through the disgusting wind with a dog leash wrapped around his wrist. It's a miserable sight, but an even more miserable experience.

Loki guides him past buildings and cars, and a few kids stop to stare at the boy walking by with his dog. One child even waved at him, and he waved back of course. Maybe there's still a chance Jeno can salvage his reputation after his first impression seemingly struck others as troubled and dangerous. It doesn't make sense, considering he's probably one of the most vulnerable people in existence.

After all, Jeno still sleeps with a collection of stuffed animals and watches cartoons on the weekend. His parents tease him for it, but he doesn't care.

The sun has already began to set, and Jeno wants to go home, but he knows his mom would scold him for not staying out long enough. Nearly every day this week, she has forced him to leave and explore his surroundings. Jeno found it to be exhausting, though he appreciates her desire to indulge him into his new environment, but he'd like it more if it actually worked to the extent she swore it would.

The sky spreads across the land with a peach-like hue, where it transitions into smooth shades of red along the horizon— cascading over the nearby fields of grass. In the distance a bit, the beach remains bustling with last-minute summer vacationers (who are all about five months late), but it doesn't stop the water below from exploding into a sea of sparkling diamonds to swallow the crowds whole. There's music and surfboards, and Jeno wishes he could be as carefree as everyone else.

They look happy.

Jeno and Loki paw their way into a local park where people appear to gather their dogs (or just themselves) and enjoy the smell of freshly-cut grass. There are short, iron spears outside the premises that stick up out of the ground and attach to form a gate, but Jeno doesn't see the point in their existence other than to add visual value. Anyone could easily lift their legs to get across due to the lack of height.

Inside the park, there are only a couple people sitting around the area, and Jeno immediately recognizes one of them as an exceptionally pretty girl who looks to be about his age. She has long, black hair, a slender body, and puffy lips that are pink in color and slip into a pout while she seemingly messages someone on her cellphone. Not to mention her outfit, which consists of an appropriate-length yellow dress with lace around the shoulders and a pair of tan sandals that wrap on the ankles. Jeno can't help but notice her.

It's rare to see someone so cute in your day-to-day life.

Not wanting to miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime, Jeno shyly yet surely approaches her, concurrently coming up with something random to say once he's closer to spark up a connection. It's not like Jeno to come off as this bold, but hey, he needs to make new friends, right? So what if his friendship ends up being based on a tiny crush? It won't harm anyone but himself sometime down the road.

"Excuse me, miss." He calls, and she looks up from the device in her hands, confused. Jeno takes this as a prompt to continue. "Have you— have you seen a necklace laying around here anywhere? My mom accidentally lost it here the other day and so I came to look for it."

The girl's mouth curves upwards into a sweet and sympathetic smile. "No, I'm sorry, I haven't." She says. "I can help you look for it, though. I understand because my mother loses things all the time." And the cutest giggle Jeno had ever heard whirls into the air like autumn leaves pushed with magnificent force. It blows Jeno away.

"Oh no, it's alright! I still have a few other places to check." He replies, waving a dismissive hand in front of his chest, but he wants to stay and speak longer. In fact, Jeno is put in such a trance by this beautiful girl that he doesn't even feel the strong force tugging on his arm, gradually becoming more forceful.

Jeno offers her a shy smile paired with a blush on his face as he gathers the courage to formally introduce himself to her. "So anyways um— hi, I'm—"

"Dog!" The girl cries as her vision glues onto something moving behind him. She looks shocked, panicked, and Jeno doesn't know what's happening.

There's an awkward pause.

"Huh?" He squints his eyes, still looking at the girl.

"Your dog is running away!" She points into the distance where— sure enough— Loki's ass is seen chasing after something larger than him at the speed of light. He jumps over bushes and puddles, and Jeno can feel his heart sink to the pit of his stomach while watching someone innocent run away. As if he wasn't having a hard enough time getting used to things, he had to embarrass himself again.

Instantaneously, Jeno's eyes trail down the leash he'd been holding and yeah, the clip on the end has nothing in its grasp.

"Oh my god!"

Jeno's feet move faster than his head and he begins running in hopes of catching up to stop something from going horribly wrong. The side of his leg scrapes up against a sharp rock in the process of following behind, and it stings, but Jeno ignores it. He keeps going.

By the time he's within a few feet of them, Jeno's too late to stop Loki. The dog is on top of a boy he'd pushed down, and the thin body underneath him squirms while getting his face licked. He squeals and yells, but it's no hope.

"Loki!" Jeno shouts with the strongest voice he can muster, and he feels the glares of concerned kids and parents point at him. Nobody interferes, though.

The animal ignores his owner as per usual, which is something Jeno should have expected to happen. Half of the time, Loki doesn't even shut up at home nonetheless stop 'attacking' a passerby in the park.

"Loki! Knock it off!" Jeno stomps his foot on the ground in a furious state of hopelessness and defeat, but it proves to be just enough to knock some sense into Loki as he returns to Jeno's side, wagging his tail like nothing happened.

Jeno bends down to tie the leash onto Loki's collar again and then reaches out to help the boy on the ground. A slim, yet elegantly soft, hand reaches out and places itself in Jeno's own, gripping on tight while Jeno pulls it towards himself to move the boy off of the dirt.

"I am so sorry about that." He apologizes, shaking his head with disbelief. Loki had never acted like that to anyone, nonetheless to someone he hadn't met before.It usually took a while before he would become playful in that sense. "I don't know what got into him." Jeno frowns, hoping that he won't get in any kind of trouble. That's the last thing he needs.

"It's alright." The boy laughs. That's the first time Jeno gets a good view of him, and for a moment, Jeno decides that this park must host a whole collection of attractive people like some kind of commodity.

The victim of Loki's short fit has platinum blonde hair that had been bleached like Jeno's own. He has direct eyebrows that stick out from his otherwise innocent features— such as his round eyes or cute nose. His teeth are white as snow and like his brows, rather straight. The smile he wears is addicting, and Jeno can feel his heart skip a beat when they lock gazes. The breath is knocked out of his lungs by the sight alone. And all of a sudden, he doesn't know how to talk properly.

"Wow." The boy's raspy voice speaks Jeno's thoughts into existence. They absorb each other's states with hard stares. It was like neither of them had ever seen anyone like the other in their entire lives.

"They weren't kidding when they said pets resemble their owners." The boy continues with a sly chuckle, and Jeno doesn't know whether to feel flattered or offended by the odd statement. Is he calling him ugly? But that wouldn't make a lot of sense because Loki is adorable...

"Wh—"

"Don't worry, it's a good thing." He reaches out and pats Jeno on the shoulder with the same hand that was holding his own a few moments ago. "Your dog is very very cute, much like yourself." His eyes trail over Jeno's body, and though it feels a bit invasive, Jeno is flustered in a positive way.

An even cuter person calling him cute? The skin on Jeno's face gets hot, and he almost thanks Loki for dragging him over here. His mind is long gone from the girl in the yellow dress, and now it's all about the boy in beat up jeans and a t-shirt who is obviously checking him out. He doesn't even try to hide it his bewilderment.

"But he's awfully stupid." The guy finishes, and that line singlehandedly crushes any hope Jeno had about him. He should have knows by the thinner's grin that he'd be the mischievous type, but that just presented itself as a sharp jab to the chest.

"Hey!" Jeno scrunches his features, frustrated with the one-sided teasing that bubbles between the pair. But to be fair, how is he supposed to retaliate? This guy has nothing that Jeno can use against him. You can call him dramatic, but Jeno is convinced that he's flawless.

"What? He doesn't have enough sense to not chase people?" The opposing head of blonde tilts, and he crosses his arms over his chest. Loki, again, sits without knowledge of what's going on. All he knows is that he can't move.

"He's an animal. He doesn't have to have sense." Jeno explains, mimicking the other's body language and similarly pulling his arms in front of him, also unknowingly— but that's because he has no idea the boy is getting a kick out of this. He's doing it on purpose, but Jeno's racing thoughts cloud his logical reasoning.

"I suppose, but you should do a better job of tying him down." He suggests with a shrug. Jeno only continues to peer at him.

Silence.

"Who even are you?" Jeno suddenly inquires. It was the first time he had asked anyone's name around town, but why not, right? It's getting late and he's tired, he at least wants to have someone to talk about when he gets home that night so his parents know he's trying.

"Curious about me?" He coos, to which Jeno can't hold back the overwhelming urge to roll his eyes. "Who are you? I've never seen you around, and I've lived here my entire life. I should be the one asking." The other retorts, quite sure that he'd remember a face like that if he'd ever seen it before.

Jeno shakes his head to avoid revealing himself. "I don't really talk to strangers, sorry."

"But you're talking to me right now." The boy points out, and he's not exactly wrong. He hadn't even seen Jeno's attempt to talk to a girl earlier, but Jeno knows he's right. "If you don't talk to strangers, how do you ever make friends?" He questions, brown eyes twinkling with pure curiosity, but his tone makes it sound like an insult.

Jeno shrugs his shoulders.

"I don't, really." He admits, which is also truthful. Back home, Jeno only had one friend. He talked to his classmates, but none of them were ever willing to commit to a friendship with him in the same way Renjun had. He misses Renjun dearly because of that— and other feelings, of course.

"You must live a pretty sad life then, blondie." He clicks his tongue at the end of the remark, looking down at Loki and diverting his attention.

Blondie?

"Na Jaemin." The mystery-boy, now known as Jaemin, looks back up and extends his hand politely as if he hadn't spent the last ten minutes making smart remarks towards his 'savior,' who got the ferocious dog under control

Jeno nods and accepts hand, shaking it lightly and noticing that he wasn't imagining the silky texture of his skin the first time. It really is that angelic. "Lee Jeno." He answers, and Jaemin's eyes light up with what appears to be joy.

"Jeno." Jaemin says, and then he says it again. And again, and again. He keeps repeating the name to himself quietly, becoming obsessed with the pronunciation. "Jeno, Jeno, Jeno. It rolls off the tongue well, don't you think?" He sighs dreamily, and Jeno becomes uncomfortable at the act.

Jeno pulls his hand away, somewhat weirded out. He wipes Jaemin's 'germs' on the fabric of his shirt to get rid of whatever was planted in his palm. "I guess." Though he'd never paid that much mind to his own name— or anyone else's, for that matter.

"Are you always this dry, Jeno?"

"I don't talk to strangers." He reminds, his tone just as dry as Jaemin had implied.

"Want to get acquainted over some ice cream?" Jaemin offers, pulling a wallet out of his pants pocket and waving it around in the air freely. "I'll pay for it. There's an amazing parlor just across the street from here. What do you like? Chocolate? Rocky road?" He begins to list through various flavors, all of which sound appealing.

Nonetheless, Jeno finds it within himself to decline. "I have to get home for dinner. Like— right now."

"Oh, a family boy." Jaemin gushes, which is soon followed by an enthusiastic wave goodbye. "Have a nice meal!" He cheers. Despite his unique and contradicting nature, Jeno finds himself wishing to see him again sometime.

Or maybe not. He was sort of weird.

"Thanks." And Jeno turns around to walk away in the dark, not realizing previously that the sky faded into black and blue during their conversation. Loki trails behind obediently for once.

Why did such a good looking boy have to carry himself so strangely?

**Author's Note:**

> twt : @HYCKPRMPTS  
> cc : @SUHPRMPTS


End file.
